The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly articles from March 2007

The PS Preventive Maintenance Monthly archives from March 2007

Leave mods to MWOs.(modification work orders)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... In one instance, a unit felt they could get a better fit by grinding down the C-clip on their Bradley's steering assembly. The clip broke during operation and the Bradley lost its steering. Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident....

Make the engine oil filter switch.(Stryker ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Mechanics, the cleanable engine oil filter currently used on Stryker vehicles is being replaced with a disposable paper filter, NSN 2910-01-519-3768. That means you'll need to make the switch during each vehicle's next scheduled semiannual...

Now's the time to know fire procedures.(M1-series tanks ...)
March 1, 2007... Do you know what to do if your tank catches fire? If you don't, you're not only a danger to yourself, but other crewmen as well. All Crewmen Once a fire is detected, all crewmen should hold their breath and speak only to give commands...

Hoping for a ground hop kit.(M270A1 MLRS carrier ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Half-Mast, I'm having trouble finding the NSN for the M270A1 MLRS ground hop kit. Can you help me out? SSG R.A.F. Dear Sergeant R.A.F., Sure can! The ground hop kit comes with NSN 4910-01-131-1934. You'll find it listed...

Grille removal made easy.(M113A2 FOV ...)
March 1, 2007... Mechanics, the procedures for removing and installing the M113A2's power plant grille were accidentally left out of TM 9-2350-261-20-3. Until the TM is updated, use the procedure in WP 0465 00 of TM 9-2350-277-20-4 or follow these steps:...

Terminal spark won't shock.(M992A2 Ammo Carrier ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Mechanics, a little sparking from an ammo carrier's auxiliary power unit (APU) junction box may make you jump, but it won't shock you. Even if the ground has been disconnected at the batteries, there may still be a little voltage present...

Set up to shoot straight.(M109A6 Paladin ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Having backup systems can be vitally important on the battlefield. If your Paladin's electronic digital fire control system goes down, you're going to need to use the manual fire control system. Unfortunately, some units aren't prepared....

Fire safety begins with you!(M1114 HMMWVs ...)
March 1, 2007... Word from the field is that soldiers have been prematurely using and improperly testing the AFES for the M1114 up-armored HMMWV. And premature use of this system can lead to unnecessary wear and tear, which can lead to it not working during an...

Finding parts to repair armor, cooling.(M1083/M1088 FMTVs ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Half-Mast, Our unit has new up-armored M1083 and M1088 FMTVs. After eyeballing the electronic technical manuals (ETMs) on EM 0122, I didn't; find a thing on the factory-installed air conditioner, not even a picture! I couldn't find...

Corrections to parts manual.(M1117 ASV ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Imagine this. You need parts for your M1117 armored security vehicle. You look in TM 9-2320-307-24P to find the NSNs, but the numbers aren't listed, or don't show up in FED LOG. Or you order the parts and the order arrives, but the parts you...

TM changes to tachometer and voltmeter readings.(HEMTTs ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Go to Item 13b. on Page 2-41 of TM 9-2320-279-10-1. The acceptable idle speed for FHTV * models has been expanded. Change the Not Fully Mission Capable If column to say: "Tachometer indicates less than 600 rpm or more than 800 rpm when engine...

New vent keeps you cool.(M1070P1 HET ...)(Heavy Equipment Transporter)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Drivers, a new air conditioning vent is now available for your M1070P1 HET. With two round, directional louvers on the front and two on the back, the new vent makes it easier to provide cool air where you want it to go. The vent comes with...

Escape hatch help.(M1070P1 HET Tractor ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... An escape hatch that you can't escape through is a real problem, operators. But if you've got an M1070P1 armored HET, that's exactly what you have. The rear escape hatch can wedge against the exhaust shield support bracket when you try to...

Remove the rub.(M1070P1 HET Tractor ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Mechanics, you need to do a little modification to the armor kit installed on M1070P1 HETs to prevent damage to the CTIS manifold under the driver's seat. There's not enough clearance between the manifold and the armor plate. The two...

Weapon shield dangerous without lock.(M240B, M249 Machine Guns ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... If you fire your M240B or M249 machine gun on the M197 mount with the weapon shield without the pintle lock, you risk harming yourself and your weapon. Without the pintle lock, the mount is not synchronized with the shield. When you swing...

Brush up on lubing.(Small Arms ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, When armorers have to lube several weapons in the arms room, they usually squirt CLP or one of the other approved lubes on the weapon and then spread the lube with a rag. That's not very effective at catching all spots on the...

Check your bearings.(Avenger Missile System ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The newer slew-to-cue Avengers can lose their bearings when they operate for long periods in one spot, which they often are required to do nowadays. The Avenger's north reference drifts sometimes. As a result, what the system thinks is...

Smoothing M3P gun adjustment.(Avenger Missile System ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, The bolts that hold the Avenger's M3P machine gun mounting bracket in place and the adjusting bolt for the bracket tend to freeze from corrosion. Then when you try to loosen the bolts, they snap. Unfortunately, it's very...

Keep ECU/PPU on solid ground.(Avenger Missile System ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, We had trouble with the ground cable connecting the environmental control unit (ECU) and primary power unit (PPU) not making good contact. Corrosion around the connector was the main problem, but there was also arcing at the...

Choices for the CHQD MWO.(M40/M42-Series Masks ...)(coupling half, quick disconnect)
March 1, 2007... MWO 3-4240-346-20-3 replaces all the old CHQDs (coupling half, quick disconnect) on M40/M42-series masks because some of the CHQDs may leak. Leaks let chemical agent in the mask. To see if your masks have had the MWO applied, check for...

Ways to start smoking.(M56 Smoke Generator ...)(Letter to the editor)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, We think these tips will help M56 smoke generators not quit smoking: * Some M56 operators aren't aware that you can adjust the ejector nozzle gap to make starting easier. Any time you have trouble gettin the ENGINE TEMP...

See Jack for CBRN info.(M56 Smoke Generator ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, Thanks for the info in PG 636 (Nov 05) on where to go on the Internet to check the shelf life For chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear (CBRN) items. Another good source for CBRN info is JACKS--Joint Aquisition Chemical...

The Shoemakers and the Elves of PM.(Cartoon)(Cartoon)
March 1, 2007... IT WAS A PERFECT SPRING DAY IN THE SMALL TOWN OF HEELSBORO. BUSINESS WAS BOOMING FOR ALL THE SHOPKEEPERS IN TOWN SAVE ONE. SAM'S HANDMADE SHOES HADN'T SEEN A CUSTOMER IN A DOGS AGE. THAT'S IT, MARTHA! IF WE DON'T SELL SOME SHOES...

Keeping the M230 recoiling.(AH-64A/D: Aircraft)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Water is shortening the life of M230 machine gun recoil mechanisms. Water gets in the recoil after the AH-64A/D is flown in wet weather and causes serious corrosion. But a bit of PM can dry up moisture problems for the recoil. After flying...

No fried generators.(AH-64A/D: Aircraft)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Everybody loves fried chicken. But nobody loves fried generators on an AH-64D helicopter. And that's what happens when the wires are put on backwards. You need to be sure the No. 1 and No. 2 generator wire leads are marked so that they can...

... The right way is the only way!(UH-60 Series ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Mechanics, ingenuity in performing Black Hawk maintenance is normally a good thing, But not in all cases. If you're removing or installing the load-demand and the power-available rotary input housing, use the required cannon plug...

Countermeasure set protection.(AN/ALQ-144A/C ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... He suggests placing a standard 5-gal plastic bucket, NSN 7240-01-094-4305, over the set instead of removing it. Make sure the set cover, NSN 5865-01-109-1800, is on, then turn the bucket upside down and put it over the transmitter. Or you can...

Tie it down and moor it!(All Aircraft ...)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Make sure your birds are properly secured to the ground so they won't fly away on their own when high winds kick up. First, check out your -23 TMs for typical blade tie-down instructions and aircraft mooring procedures. Second, check...

Train to maintain.(FBCB2 ...)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dear Editor, Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) is a command and control tool to help maintain situational awareness. But I've noticed that much of the FBCB2 equipment is not being maintained like it should be. ...

Warranty covers repairs.(Tactical Command System ...)
March 1, 2007... The joint tactical terminal (JTT), AN/USC-62(V)1-14, which is integrated into several host weapons systems platforms such as the Patriot, is under warranty until 2010. All repair work is done by the manufacturer. So, if you have an...

Hey, mister! Need a thermistor?(18,000 BTU Horizontal MPI ECU ...)
March 1, 2007... In need of a thermistor, NSN 5905-01-399-4390, for your 18K environmental control unit (ECU)? Not sure? Can you control the heating and cooling by using the temperature select switch on the control box? If you answered, "not...

There are choices to make.(Lithium Batteries ...)
March 1, 2007... OK... WHICH BATTERY DO YOU WANT? I DUNNO! THERE ARE SO MANY CHOICES! THERE ARE TRUCKLOADS OF EQUIPMENT IN THE ARMY INVENTORY POWERED BY ONE OF THESE LITHIUM BATTERIES... Battery NSN BA-5390/U 6135-01-501-0833...

This new decal is a good reminder!(Modern Burner Unit ... Comic)(Brief article)(Cartoon)
March 1, 2007... NEW MODERN BURNER UNITS (MBU) AND MBUS WITH MWO 10-7310-281-55-1 APPLIED COME WITH SOME NEW FEATURES... Fuel delivery block and flame sensor * an upgraded fuel delivery block and an upgraded flame sensor * a new NSN, model number,...

Refusing to refuel.(Modern Burner Unit ...)
March 1, 2007... THE PREFERRED WAY TO REFUEL YOUR MODERN BURNER UNIT (MBU) IS BY USING THE BUILT-IN POWERED FUELING FEATURE. THAT'S WHERE YOU CONNECT A FUEL CAN TO THE MBU's FUEL TANK BY MEANS OF A CAN ADAPTER AND A HOSE. AN AIR COMPRESSOR DRAWS AIR...

Drip pan with a plan.(HAZMAT ...)
March 1, 2007... Drip pans are a motor pool must if you plan to keep hazardous waste such as oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid and antifreeze from contaminating the ground. Crushproof rubber drip pans do the job and snap back to shape if you accidentally run over...

Keep deficiencies out of the PQDR process.
March 1, 2007... The Product Quality Deficiency Report (PQDR) is great for letting the Army know about deficient equipment--unless the report itself contains deficiencies. When you get bad parts, or have problems with new or refurbished equipment, you and...

Ordering parts using part numbers.(Supply Management ...)
March 1, 2007... Ordering parts isn't always easy. Sometimes a TM doesn't use an NSN and you get a part number instead. The trouble is making sure the part number actually leads to the part you want. For instance, you have a 5-KW tactical quiet generator....

Connie's Post Scripts.
March 1, 2007... AGPU Test Stands Hydraulic test stand, NSN 6685-00-133-7711, for the AGPU listed in TM 55-4920-341-14 cannot be supported. Turn it in to AMCOM ASAP. Use either NSN 4920-00-882-6401, 4920-00-144-4481, or 4920-01-119-8795 to get a...